Fibroin spinning solution



Patented Feb. 7, 1939 Rudolph S. Bley, Milligan College, or to North American Rayon Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of No Drawing. Original 1936, Serial No. 59,91

plication April 21, 1938,

16 Claims. (Cl. 106-40) This is a division of my applicati 59,912, filed January 20, 1936.

The'presentinvention relates to a process of manufacturing solutions of proteins, such as ,5 fibroin, casein, gelatin, wool and alginic acid, from which the proteins may be precipitated by suitable reagents.

One objectof this invention is to prepare a spinning solution containing a protein selected on Ser. No.

from the group consisting of fibroin, casein, gelatin, wool andalginic acid from which artificial products, such as filaments, yarns, ribbons, films, etc., may be formed.

Another object of my invention has to do with II the preparation. of a spinning solution by dissolving fibroin in a quaternary benzyl substituted ammonium base.

A third object of my invention relates to the manufacture of fibroin spinning solutions by dissolving a fibroin, such as natural silk, in a quaternary benzyl substituted ammonium hydroxide.

A fourth. object of this invention has to do with the preparation of a spinning solution containing cellulose or cellulose derivatives I and 26 fibroin from which these substances may be precipitated in' hydrated form.

' Other objects of my invention parent to those skilled in the the following specification.

I am well aware that processes are already known for dissolving silk'flbroin in ammoniacal copper hydroxide, etc., to produce spinning solutions therefrom. However, such solutions have proven unstable due to degradation of the fibroin 35 molecule, this degradation resulting in a decrease in viscosity of such fibroin solutions. In accordance with the present invention this degradation of the fibroin molecule is substantially counteracted by dissolving natural silk in solutions of willbecome apart irom a study of v 40 quaternary benzyl substituted ammonium bases.

I have found by experimentation that fibroin may be rapidly and completely dissolved in highmolecular organic ammonium bases having,the

general structure 45 in which R1, R: and R3 represent alkyl. aryl 50 and/or aralkyl groupsor substituted derivatives thereof. -In addition, I have found that benzyl substituted quaternary ammonimum hydroxides are especially suitable for dissolving fibroin, wool,

application January 20,

Tenn., assign Delaware RElSSUED Divided and this ap- Serial No. 203,444

ide is an excellent solvent for fibroin, wool, etc., other quaternary benzyl-ammonium hydrcxides may be used for this purpose, such as triethyl-benzyl-ammoniumhydroxide, dimethylide, benzyl-pyridonium hydroxide, dibutyl-diphenyl-ammonium hydroxide, diethyl-phenylammonium hydroxide, dibutyl-phenyl-ammonium hydroxide, dimethyl-tolyl-ammonium hydroxide, dimethyl-amyl-benzyl-ammonium hydroxide, dimethyi-dibenzyl-ammonium hydrox- 1 benzyl-ammonium hydroxide, tolyl-pyridonium hydroxide, etc. In other words, I may use anyv water-soluble, high-molecular quaternary ammonium hydroxide which has a strong basic reaction and which is able to dissolve fibroin, wool, cellulose, etc. Benzyl substituted ammonium hydrcxides are able to dissolve such substances in relatively short periods of time to form clear, filtrable solutions. The fibroin can be precipitated from such solutions by diluting them with water or by causing the ammonium base to react with acids, acid salts and the like. However, it is to be noted that aqueous solutions of benzyl substituted ammonium hydroxides should be preferably of about to 50% strength, i. e., about 2 normal. It is also preferable to dissolve fibroin in quaternary ammonium bases at an elevated temperature for the formation of clear, filtrable solutions. However, care must be exercised to avoid decomposition by the solvent by etc.,to form spinning solutions. Although I have 66 found that trimethyl-benzyl-ammonium hydroxhas been found that such fibroin solutions keep well on standing at ordinary room temperature, the degradation of fibroin may be practically overcome by storing said solutions at a low temperature. The solutions may be diluted to some extent with water without causing precipitation of fibroin provided suitable emulsifying agents, such as trimethyl-benzyl-ammonium oleate, alkali metal salts of fatty acids, etc., are added thereto in suitable proportions.

Any known type of delustering agent which is stable in quaternary ammonium bases, such as oils, pigments, dyestuifs, etc., may be dispersed by suitable means in these fibroin solutions for the production of soft-lustre or colored products therefrom.

Instead of using a fibroin solution per se for the production of filaments, yarns, films; etc., I may form mixed spinning solutions containing, for example, fibroin and cellulose, since both substances may be dissolved in quaternary ammonium hydroxides. For this .purpose, I may dissolve for example natural silk and cellulose or a cellulose derivative, such as cellulose esters and 55 ethers in a concentrated, aqueous solution of a benzyl substituted ammonium hydroxide such as trimethyl-benzyl ammonium hydroxide, etc. The fibroin-cellulose or fibroin cellulose derivative solution may be subsequently spun into water, dilute acids or salt solutions to form filaments, yarns, ribbons or films. Solutions may also be spun containing fibroin, cellulose and a rubber latex. The solutions set forth above, may be spun in funnels like cuprammonium cellulose or they may be precipitated and coagulated like viscose in setting baths. The coagulated products may be collected on spools or in centrifugal pots. Cellulose sponges may be formed in molds in wellknown manner. Any known delustering agent which is stable in quaternary benzyl substituted ammonium bases may be added in suitable amounts to fibroin, fibroin-cellulose, fibroin-cellulose derivatives or fibroin wool, or mixtures there to modify the lustre'and other physical characteristics of the finishedproducts. The ammonium bases may be recovered from the set ting baths by suitable means and re-employed for the dissolution of fibroin, cellulose, wool, etc., to render the process more economical.

Example 1 Natural silk, 1. e., fibroin, is dissolved at a moderate temperature in a 25 to 50% solution of trimethyl-benzyl ammonium hydroxide until a solution of sufilcient viscosity is obtained. The spinning solution, thus prepared, is spun with the assistance of spinnerettes into an acid setting bath containing for example dilute sulphuric acid and sodium sulphate. The threads are collected on spools or in pots, washed and dried. Wool, gelatine, alginic acid or casein may be dissolved in similar manner to form solutions which are spun like silk fibroin.

Example 2 Natural silk and cellulose are dissolved together in a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, preferably trimethyl-benzyl ammonium hydroxide, and'spun as set forth in Example 1. Instead of cellulose or regenerated cellulose, a cellulose derivative, i. e., esters and ethers, may be dissolved together with fibroin. Instead of forming silk fibroin solutions, I may dissolve wool, gelatin, alginic acid or casein in a quaternary ammonium base, preferably a benzyl substituted ammonium hydroxide, to form spinning solutions which may contain in addition cellulose, regenerated cellu lose, or cellulose derivatives.

Example 3 Fibroin, wool, gelatin, alginic acid or casein solutions with or without cellulose additions are diluted with water after the addition of a suitable emulsifying agent, such as trimethyl-benzyl oleate to such extent that the solid phase is not precipitated, spun and after-treated in accordance with the methods setforth above.

Instead of feeding the spinning solutions, set

" forth above, singly to the spinning nozzles, I may extrude for example a fibroin solution together with a cellulose solution from a single or a plurality of spinnerettes and obtain composite products consisting of natural silk and cellulose :filaments, etc. In this manner, I may also produce mixed products consisting of natural silk, wool, and cellulose, etc. Furthermore, I may admix pigments or other solid and liquid delusterants with my spinning solutions for the production of yarns composed of difierently colored products,

invention, any method known in the rayon art may be used to modify the physical properties. of products manufactured from my novel spinning solutions. I wish to emphasize that the substances, set forth above, may be truly dissolved in the quaternary ammonium hydroxides or merely finely dispersed therein. Instead of anuaternary tolyl substituted ammonium base, I may employ phenyl substituted ammonium bases as set forth in my co-pending application Ser. No. 203,443, filed April 21, 1938.

Modifications of my invention will readily be recognized by those skilled in the art, and I desire to include all such modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising a protein selected from the group consisting of silk fibroin, wool, gelatin, alginic acid and casein finely dispersed in a quaternary tolyl substituted ammonium base having the structure CH3. Cam R1 HO R:

in which R1, R2 and R: represent a radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals, aryl radicals, aralkyl radicals, substituted alkyl radicals, substituted aryl radicals and substituted aralkyl radicals, said solution having the property of substantially retaining its viscosity on standing for relatively long periods of time at a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures.

3. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising a casein finely dispersed in a quaternary tolyl substituted ammonium base having the structure l in which R1, R2, and R3 represent a radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals, aryl radicals, aralkyl radicals, substituted alkyl radicals, substituted aryl radicals and substituted aralkyl radicals, said solution having the property of substantially retaining its viscosity on standing for relatively long periods of time at a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures.

4. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising an alginic acid in which R1, R2, and

finely dispersed in a quaternary ammonium base having the structure 5.

CHLC Bl no In A R: represent a radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals,

Caryl radicals, aralkyl radicals, substituted alkyl tion having the property of substantially retaining its viscosity on standing for relatively long periods of time at a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures.

6. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificialproducts comprising a silk fibroin finely persed in a dimethylyl-flmm nl m hy 1'0x-- "-;=.,viscosity on standing for relatively long periods ide, said solution having the property of substantially-retaining its viscosity on standing for rela tively long periods of time at a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures.

persed in a dimethyl-tolyl-ammonium hydroxide,

'long periods of time at a temperature not exceed- 7. vA spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising a casein finely dissaid solution having the property of substantially retaining its viscosity on standing for relatively ing ordinary room temperatures.

8. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising an alginic acid finely dispersed in a dimethyl tolyl-ammonium I hydroxide, said solution havingthe property of substantially retaining its viscosity onv standing for relatively long periods of. time at a temperature not exceedingv ordinary room temperatures. 9. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising aprotein selected Q from the group consisting of silk fibroin, wool, gelatin, alginic acid and casein finely dispersed aving the structure m wmcniu, R2. n

in a quaternary tolyl substituted amethyst Ho m I Rsrepresent ayradical selected from the group consisting of alkyl substituted m1. radicals and substituted.

lfradicals with a sub:

stance group consisting of 'cellu fll ee uteri a a e: a d; o t n h e i the ope WWW m 1 cosity on for relatigelylong oi" time at a temperature not temperatures, 10; A; spinning solution for the manufacture or products comprising'a. silk fibroin finely a quaternary tolyl substituted ammonium base having the structure Rs represent a radical se-' lected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals, aryl radicals, aralkyl radicals, substituted alkyl radicals, substituted aryl radicals and substituted arallryl radicals together with a cellulosic substance selected from the group consisting of cellulose. cellulose esters and cellulose ethers, said solution having the property of substantially retaining its viscosity on standing for relatively long 7 periods of time at a temperature not exceeding room temperatures. 11. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising a casein finely dispersed in a quaternary tolyl substituted ammonium base having the structure CHs-C B1 in which R1, R2, and R; represent a radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals, aryl radicals, aralkyl radicals, substituted alkyl radicals, substituted aryl radicals and substituted aralkyl radicals together with a cellulosic substance selected from the group consisting of cellu- .lose, cellulose esters and ethers, said solution having the property of substantially retaining its of time at a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures. I

' 12. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising an alginic acid dispersed in a quaternary tolyl substituted ammonium base'having the structure I CHaC Bi 1 3s- I no I in which R1, Ba, and Re represent a radical selected from the group'jconsisting ofalkyl radicals, aryl radicals, aralkyl radicals, substituted alkyl radicals, substituted aryl radicals and substituted aralh l radicals together with a cellulosic' substance selected from the group consisting of cellulose, cellulose esters and cellulose ethers, said solution havingthe property of substantially retaining its viscosity on standing for relatively long P riods of time at-a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures.

'13. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising a protein selected from the group of silk fibroin, wool, gelatin, alginic acid and casein finely dispersed in a dimethyl-tclyl-ammonium hydroxide together with a cellulosic from the group (K0911 19 esters and cellulose ethers, said solution the property of substantially retaining. its viscosity on standing for. relatively long of time at a temperanot exceeding temperatures.

[14, A spinning solution for. the manufacture of artificial products comprising a. fibroin finely dispersed in a dimeth'yl-tolyl-ammonium hydroxide together with a cellulosic substance selected from the, group consisting of cellulose, cellulose esters and cellulose ethers, said solution having the property of substantially retaining its vi'scosity on, standing forv relatively long. periods of time'at a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures.

15'. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising a casein finely dispersed iii a dimethyl-tolyl-ammonium hydroxide together with a cellulosic substance selected from the group consisting of cellulose, cellulose esters and cellulose ethers, said solution having the property of substantially retaining its viscosity on standing for relatively long periods of time at a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures.

16. A spinning solution for the manufacture of artificial products comprising an alginic acid finely dispersed in a dimethyl-tolyl-ammonium hydroxide together with a cellulosic substance selected from the group consisting of cellulose, cellu se esters and cellulosevethers, said solution having the property of substantially retaining its viscosity on standing for relatively long periods of time at a temperature not exceeding ordinary room temperatures.

RUDOLPH S. BLEY. 

